The Canadian Coast Guard successfully rescued 20 crew members from the MSC Baltic III over the weekend after the vessel lost power and ran aground off the coast of Newfoundland.
According to the Coast Guard, Marine Communications and Traffic Services in Port aux Basques received a mayday call from the ship on Saturday after it experienced a blackout about 12 nautical miles off the Bay of Islands.
Severe weather and rough seas prevented the crew from securing an anchor, causing the vessel to run aground at Wild Cove, west of Lark Harbour.
To ensure safety, a two-nautical-mile exclusion zone was established around the vessel. A helicopter conducted an aerial assessment, while additional crews and equipment were deployed for the rescue operation.
“All 20 crew members were safely airlifted by a Cormorant helicopter. The cause and extent of the incident are still under investigation,” the Coast Guard stated.
With the crew evacuated, efforts are now focused on salvage operations and addressing potential environmental hazards. However, challenging weather conditions on Sunday continued to impact response efforts.
“Canadian Coast Guard crews and Eastern Canada Response Corporation representatives have set up a staging area in Lark Harbour, Newfoundland,” the Coast Guard reported.
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Jean Goodwill is en route from Canso, weather permitting, while the CCGS Henry Larsen remains on standby in Corner Brook to assist.
The ship’s owner has been cooperative, and a salvage team has been dispatched to assess the situation.
